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I am so lost with this (Tachychardia...Panic Attacks?Acid Reflux?)

To start out, I am a 24 year old female.  Had a very athletic childhood; however, I am currently overweight, but dieting.  I have had panic attacks since I was 17.  I have been on Zoloft, Lexapro, Zoloft again, Celexa, and once again back to Zoloft.  I would always get slight tachycardia with panic attacks, but that wasn't usually my "main symptom".  This summer, when switching back to Zoloft from Celexa, I had an episode of Tachycardia like I never felt before.  I was in Florida with my friend visiting her family and in an unfamiliar environment.  I was a smoker at that time.  My heart started beating steadily, but I felt I couldn't control it.  No chest pain, no dizziness, no trouble breathing, nothing.  I did feel anxious before it happened.  So I sat down and took some deep breaths, had someone call the paramdeics because i thought I was dying, but before the ambulance came, my heart rate lowered.  So I didn't go with the paramedics.  So I went to sit back down at the restaurant and an elderly couple was sitting next to us.  She asked me what was wrong, so I told her.  She continued to tell me that tachycardia is how she "died" and they had to bring her back to life and give her a pace maker and ativan.  Gee thanks lady...guess what started to happen again, my heart started racing.  This time I went to the ER.  The doctor listened to my heart for two seconds, told me it was related to my previous panic attacks and let me go.  A week later the same thing happened after smoking a cigarette.  I felt a little panicky, then my heart started racing, even when I calmed myself down, it was still racing, same exact as last time.  It slowed down, then started up again.  And by the time the paramedics got there, my heart rate was about 90, again, same as last time.  This time they did an EKG and sent me home with some Xanax.  It happened one more time, but that time I took a Xanax and calmed down pretty quiickly.  The episodes continued a couple times in the next few months and stopped.  I stopped smoking after the second trip to the ER.  I was okay for a couple months after that.  Then the tachycardia happened again.  This time I was smoking again.  I was in a stressfull situation and drinking heavily one to two nights a week.  The tachycardia came after a night of drinking.  I once again went to the ER, the EKG was fine, they sent me home with more Xanax. I didn't see my regular doctor because my health insurance was in transition.  A week later I had another EKG because I was having chest pains and coughing, it ended up being bronchitis.

Finally I got to see my doctor.  He did YET another EKG and it was fine (I think that made like 5 total for the year).  I had a holter monitor for 24 hours.   Oh in addition, I was having what I felt like skipped heartbeats.  Some I felt like I had to actually catch my breath.  I also have very bad acid reflux. Holter was fine, they did not find anything.  And nothing happened , of course,, not even a feeling of a skipped heartbeat.  A week after the holter, I had what i felt was a panic attack and then tachychardia and it felt a bit hard to breath, but i get that feeling with my acid reflux. I had an echo done last week and everything was fine.  That would be the second echo I have had, one other when I was 17.  

SO I was okay after that.  I felt really good.  The feeling of skipped heart beats have returned a few days ago.  And today I had a horrible epiosde of tachycardia.  I was driving and a I felt a bit anxious.  Then I got this really horrible feeling in my chest and my heartrate started rising.  I have this bad habit of checking my pulse, and I really think this actually encourages my heart to go haywire.  I felt nauseous, my palms were sweaty, I felt a little hard to breath.  Then I burped and a whole bunch of acid came up.  The whole episode lasted probably like five minutes.  I took a Xanax, a .25.  I still felt kinda anxious afterwards, but I was scared.  

I wanted to note that these episodes tend to happen during my period, right before, or within a week after.  Could this have anything to do with it.  I appreciate everyone who took the time to read such a long post.  I was just in tears when I first started writing this,.  I am so lost and so scared.  My doctor told me the other day that I should record what I ate and what I did when I get this episodes and maybe if it continues then he will send me to a cardiologist..  Oh I want to add that I had what I thought was a Decaf Iced Coffee from Dunkin Donuts and immediately after I felt a little funny as far as my anxiety goes.  Then the episode happened an hour later.

If anyone has any input or anything I would really appreciate it.
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Avatar universal

The acid reflux/esophagitis/arrhythmia relationship comes up once again.  My last trip to the ER resulted in a similar diagnosis - sent home with instructions to take Pepcid.  We all see the connection but it is very hard to convince the doctors that the abdominal discomfort and arrhythmia is related.  Once again we have to solve our own problems by trial and error.  Sometimes it works.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the response!!  I have not been on a beta-blocker for the tachycardia.  I guess because the "episodes" have been a month apart.  I was on a beta blocker when I was 17 before they first diagnosed me with anxiety, they thought I was having silent migraines.  I did not like it at all.  My resting heartrate is between 50-60 bpm already, I would be kinda nervous about that.  I started taking Nexium this weekend and have not felt any skipped beats since then, weird, maybe what I thought were skipped beats were really GI problems.  Who knows, i will have to wait and see.

But I really agree with you with the adrenaline thing.  I really think that is my problem.  I wonder if SNRIs would help with me and not only the SSRI or something that would help regulate the norepinephrine as well.  

But I am going to talk to my daughter to have a episode monitor and he would not be against sending me to a cardiologist.
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1182699 tn?1297574784
Well, first let me say I am sorry you are not feeling well. Many of us have the symptoms you describe including myself. I have had panic attacks on and off for 17 years, but didn't really suffer from true panic until I had one and a lay person (not a medical professional) told me I must've had one...so now I HATE to drive alone! I'll do it, not out of town alone, but in town and I have the exact symptoms you described when you're driving. I also have been diagnosed with GERD, actually with Barrett's Esophagus when I was in my late 20's, I'm now in my late 30's.I have been monitored with PVC's, PAC's, and tachy...and I KNOW my cycle causes more problems for me, with my heart, adrenaline rushes, etc. I think you finding the right med is very important. Also, many say that cognitive behavior therapy works wonders for panic and anxiety. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find the right doctor to help me with this...but there are many wonderful ones out there and it would probably be very beneficial. I think you should insist on seeing the cardiologist. Have you or are you on a beta-blocker for the tachy? I do avoid caffeine, including chocolate, fried foods, msg, alcohol, limit sweets and carbs and although I still get all the nasty symptoms, but they are much worse with the above. I still have too much adrenaline which increases my anxiety, and I still have skipped beats. I think it's a good idea about the food journal. You may be able to pinpoint some of it. Hang in there and continue pushing forward until you get answers. Stay in close contact with your doctor. Your symptoms are real and the anxiety is real as well. There are many wonderful members on this forum that will help you understand what they have gone through...so anytime you feel scared or lost...get on and post and someone will answer. You may feel alone, but you're not. Feel better!
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